The Museum of Neon Art is a small museum in Glendale California that rescues, restores, and preserves neon signs and provides a gallery place for art made from neon lights. They also have a classroom to teach the craft of creating neon art.
There is something magical about the vivid glowing tubes of light that are bent into engaging and dynamic designs. The colors and motion of the designs demand your attention, which is probably why it was once so prevalently used in advertising and commercial art.
The museum shows all sides of the use of neon - in signs for businesses of all types as well as artistic expression. The collection seems much larger than their show space can accommodate so the exhibits change a couple times per year. The exhibition on display when I visited was “There’s More to Neon Signs Than Liquor, Motels and Live Nude Girls” and “Motel California”. The star of the show was the animated dragon that was previously part of the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
It’s a small gallery for the $10 admission price but there’s nothing like seeing these glowing and animated signs in person.
neonmona.org
